High Point exhibit inspires ABC Home in New York

Explores innovative merchandising concepts

-- Casual Living, 2/11/2010 2:08:00 PM

ABC Home’s corner windows display this month was inspired by the AMAZED exhibit at the most recent High Point Market.

The AMAZED exhibit reinterpreted the Wizard of Oz in honor of the movie’s 70th anniversary. Using references from pop culture, the creative director and crew developed a series of artistic vignettes in a 4,000-sq.-ft. gallery in the Suites at Market Square, which became the talk of the High Point Market in October.  
 
One of the vignettes, Find the Peace, represented Dorothy’s black and white world as relating to America during the civil rights movement. More than 600 black and white photos of the Race Riots, The Civil Rights struggle and faces of the voices offering hope and change were collaged into a 20-foot mural forming a giant peace sign. A single white light bulb with the word HOPE shone in the center of the display.
 
During the event, Paulette Cole of ABC Home in New York and her creative team asked designer Mike Farrell to redevelop the concept for the Broadway and 19th street corner windows of the award-winning retail store.  
 
The windows opened on Jan. 28 and will be on display during February, Black History Month.  The furniture in the window display was supplied by McCreary Modern using two fabrics designed by Farrell for Adesal Jacquards, a leading edgy fabric company with mills in Argentina, where Farrell spends much of his time. 

“I applaud Market Square for their leadership in design, creativity and out-of-the-box thinking,” said Farrell, creative director for AMAZED. “Our partnership has created something truly unique at the High Point Market and in this industry in general. Now to have our concept validated by ABC Home, one of the most visionary retailers around, is just incredibly rewarding.”

AMAZED, a 4,000 square foot merchandising concept area, is a regular feature in the Suites at Market Square, but focuses on a new theme each market. The next market’s theme will be “The 10 Senses of Good Vibration.” Well-known songs will be transformed into vignettes of visual expression demonstrating that a small budget combined with a whole lot of creativity and local talent can result in something amazingly inspiring. Visitors will walk away with exciting new ideas to apply to their store displays, showroom displays and residential settings.

“We created the Design + Innovation Displays area in the Suites to provide a venue for resources and innovative exhibits that inspire creativity in all areas of our industry,” said Karen Olson, vice president of marketing for MMPI High Point, owners of Market Square & Suites. “We hope visitors will arrive with their camera, a notepad and an open mind and leave feeling refreshed, renewed and inspired to integrate one or many of these new concepts into their business.”
 
AMAZED will be one of several exhibits in the “Design + Innovation Displays” area on the top floor of the Suites at Market Square at the High Point Market, April 17-22. Other displays include THINK: Materials and Raymond Waites’ Design Competition.

For more information, visit marketsquareandsuites.com.